The in box. Pension nuclear bomb may come to House floor on Wednesday.
From We Are One:
The Illinois legislature will return to Springfield on Tuesday, April 30, and will remain in session throughout the month of May.
House Speaker Michael Madigan has indicated that three bills – HB 1165, HB 1166, and HB 1154 — could be packaged together in a new “mega-bill” and voted on by the full House. (The new “mega-bill” has not yet been introduced and could include more than just these three bills.) We are hearing that the Speaker’s “mega-bill” could be unveiled — and even voted out of the House — on Wednesday, May 1. Your phone calls are needed immediately – click here to call your House legislator.
For now, the three bills that may be contained in the “mega-bill” are summarized below. These pension cuts would affect all active and retired public workers, except judges:
- HB 1165 is opposed by the coalition. It caps cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) at extremely low levels and delays COLAs for five years or until age 67, whichever comes first. The caps alone have the effect of reducing the value of a pension by one-third after twenty years in retirement. HB 1165 was approved by the full House in March and now awaits
Retired representation. Heading for the NEA RA in Atlanta.
Popout.
NYC Educator writes a scathing critique of how the ruling Unity Caucus of the New York teachers union stays in power by relying on retired teacher voters. Based on a formula of weighted votes, the Unity Caucus and their electoral partners in the New Action caucus was able to, in part, hold off a challenge by the Movement of Rank-and-File Educators (MORE).
Here in Illinois the situation is quite different. The Illinois Education Association, the state organization to which locals are affiliated, treats retirees like the crazy old grandpa who lives in the attic. We get invited to come down for dinner, but otherwise keep it muzzled, will ya?
Comparing the situation in New York to Illinois is apples and oranges. The UFT bargains contracts. The IEA
NYC Educator writes a scathing critique of how the ruling Unity Caucus of the New York teachers union stays in power by relying on retired teacher voters. Based on a formula of weighted votes, the Unity Caucus and their electoral partners in the New Action caucus was able to, in part, hold off a challenge by the Movement of Rank-and-File Educators (MORE).
Here in Illinois the situation is quite different. The Illinois Education Association, the state organization to which locals are affiliated, treats retirees like the crazy old grandpa who lives in the attic. We get invited to come down for dinner, but otherwise keep it muzzled, will ya?
Comparing the situation in New York to Illinois is apples and oranges. The UFT bargains contracts. The IEA
In the belly of the beast.
I have already reported that we had our first meeting of the Skokie Chapter of IEA Retired.Although we know that there are over 400 dues-paying members of IEA – R living in the area covered by the Skokie office of IEA, there has been no chapter.
It is hard to pin down the reasons for this, but no matter. We have one now.
At our first meeting we made plans for Lobby Day on May 15th. There was some discussion about whether we should all go on one bus (we think we could fill one), or go with our old locals and meet up once we get to Springfield.
Which is what we voted to do.
I’m supposed to paint a Skokie IEA Retired banner.
I can do that.
There is a general sense that our chapter has a special responsibility.
A special burden that we carry.
Our area is located right in the belly of the beast.
Our State Senator is